Ayurvedic medicine aims to correct energy balance

Millions of people benefit from aspects of this holistic approach

January 02, 2013|By Dr. Amit Sood, Mayo Clinic

(Matthew Wakem, Digital Vision via Getty Images)

Q: Is ayurvedic medicine a safe approach to managing health?

A: Ayurvedic medicine is a holistic approach to health care that is considered a form of alternative medicine in the U.S. It includes a variety of practices that may be beneficial. However, at this time, there's limited scientific evidence that shows ayurvedic medicine to be a safe and effective way to manage one's health overall.

At its core, ayurvedic medicine seeks to assess and correct energy imbalance. The assessment is done using questions that address an individual's symptoms, predispositions, environment and physical state. It also includes checking a person's pulse, examining the tongue and making several other physical evaluations. Based on the assessment, the practitioner determines an individual's state of energy imbalance.

This approach is somewhat different from the methods of medical diagnosis used in Western medicine. It's a very holistic way of looking at a person. The assumption is that everything in your life has an impact on your health, including choices like diet and exercise. But it also involves factors such as your day-to-day surroundings and environment, as well as your job, friends, family and emotions.

For example, from an ayurvedic medicine perspective, a person who has asthma may be experiencing that condition because he is too hot. A patient with a chronic cough and cold may be congested because she's predisposed to thick secretions. Someone with heartburn may have high metabolism.

To treat these problems, an ayurvedic practitioner attempts to correct the energy imbalance. That could involve eliminating or adding a variety of elements to a person's life, including certain foods, dietary supplements, exercise or meditation. In some cases, people may be encouraged to change their environment.

Millions of people around the world use ayurvedic medicine. But the research on it right now is very limited. Small studies have looked at ayurvedic dietary supplements and botanicals for conditions like diabetes and osteoarthritis. Early results have shown some efficacy. But larger clinical trials are needed to confirm those results.

No formal credentialing system exists in the U.S. for ayurvedic medicine practitioners. That means there is no guarantee that someone who claims to be an ayurvedic doctor actually has credible qualifications or specific training.

Finding safe ayurvedic products can be a problem too. One study that examined imported ayurvedic dietary supplements and botanicals found that up to one-third were contaminated, some with heavy metals.

With these limitations, it is difficult to recommend ayurvedic medicine as an overall approach to health care at this point. That said, it clearly contains some beneficial aspects. For example, yoga, deep breathing and meditation are common components of ayurvedic medicine. All have been shown to be useful for many health conditions. Some ayurvedic dietary approaches may also be helpful.

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Ayurvedic training in India culminates in either a bachelor's degree (bachelor of ayurvedic medicine and surgery, BAMS) or doctoral degree (doctor of ayurvedic medicine and surgery, DAMS). Before you find a qualified practitioner or move forward with any recommended treatment, talk to your primary doctor to make sure doing so fits your situation and is safe for you.